You’re reading Top 10 Healthy Foods That Fight Stress, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’re enjoying this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

Nowadays, many people suffer from stress due to busy lifestyles. In fact, too much stress may cause a lot of side effects on the mood, behavior, and body. It may even result in short-term and long-term physical issues such as impaired learning ability, impaired memory, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, a weak immune system, and coronary heart disease. Keeping a healthy lifestyle and having a proper diet will help to control stress. In addition, there are also some specific types of food that can aid in fighting stress. Continue reading this post to check them out!

1. Blueberries

The antioxidants present in blueberries are very effective in reducing stress levels. Blueberries also have vitamins E and C and essential minerals such as manganese and magnesium, which can help to relieve stress. Regular consumption of blueberries can also aid in dealing with insomnia, depression, and some other mood disorders that are considered as a result of stress. You may also eat blueberries as a snack or include them in a fruit salad or cottage cheese. Apart from blueberries, you can also eat cranberries to help to control stress.

2. Milk

People who often drink milk are less stressed. A glass of skim milk gives your body a good amount of calcium, protein, antioxidants, and vitamins A and D. These nutrients aid you in calming down and fighting free radicals released in your body whenever you are stressed. For a stress-busting breakfast, opt for a bowl of cereal made from whole grain with a glass of low-fat milk. In addition, consume a glass of lukewarm milk before going to sleep to have a sound sleep. If you are not a fan of milk, switch to consume milk products such as yogurt and cottage cheese.

3. Dark Chocolate

According to a clinical trial of Proteome Research in the Journal of American Chemical Society, eating about 1.5 ounces of dark chocolate every day can reduce the stress hormone levels in the body significantly. Dark chocolate is comprised of magnesium, a mineral that aids in fighting stress, depression, fatigue, and irritability. When you are stressed, eat dark chocolate to boost up your mood and reduce the stress level. Another option, you may also drink a glass of warm chocolate milk or other types of dessert that contains dark chocolate.

4. Salmon

Being a cold water fish, salmon is high in omega-3 fatty acids and contains strong anti-inflammatory properties. Omega-3 fatty acids aid in boosting up brain chemicals such as serotonin that is very effective in maintaining a happy mood and regulating stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol. In addition, omega-3 fatty acids also help your brain to function more efficiently. It is recommended eating just 2 or 3 servings of salmon a week. Apart from salmon, you may also eat tuna, mackerel, and sardines. Or, you may take supplements of omega-3 fatty acids daily after consulting your doctor.

5. Avocados

Avocados are rich in protein, minerals, and vitamin E and C. They also contain potassium, fiber, and healthy fat. These nutrients are helpful in regulating stress hormones by keeping the nerves & brain cells healthy. Consuming an avocado per day can significantly reduce the blood pressure levels and the stress hormone levels. You may also add avocado to your favorite smoothie or fruit salad. To get the best results, consume fresh avocado instead of eating the packaged ones.

6. Green Tea

Green tea is loaded with powerful antioxidants, including polyphenols, catechins, and flavonoids. These antioxidants contain a calming effect on your body & mind, which can help to give you a positive mood. In addition, it also has an amino acid named theanine that helps to promote relaxation and improve the attention and focus.

A study in an American journal indicated that people who consumed at least 5 cups of this tea a day have better mood and health compared to people who consumed less than 1 cup a day.

When you feel stress, enjoy one cup of green tea immediately. However, 5 cups a day cannot be suitable for some people. So, you can drink 2 to 3 cups of green tea per day.

If you are not a fan of green tea, choose black tea. The positive effect of green tea will be best in people who don’t drink alcohol and smoke.

7. Oranges

The high content of vitamin C in oranges helps to boost up your immune system. In addition, it is also a natural antioxidant that can fight free radicals. Oranges also contain significant amounts of vitamin A and a lot of healthy minerals.

To reap the benefits of these nutrients in oranges, simply consume one glass of orange juice per day. You may also add oranges to your desserts and other baked goods. Apart from oranges, you may also consume other citrus fruits.

8. Almonds

Almonds are high in magnesium, selenium, zinc, healthy oils, and vitamins B and E that offer stress-busting benefits. In addition, they are crunchy and thus help to diffuse tension.

You may eat raw or roasted almonds as a healthy snack. Or, you may also add almonds to desserts & baked goods. Apart from almonds, you may eat pistachios and walnuts to reduce the stress hormones, lower blood pressure, and boost up your energy level.

9. Spinach

Spinach that belongs to the dark green vegetables is rich in vitamins A, B, and C. Spinach also has a good amount of essential minerals such as calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, and potassium that help to reduce stress hormones in your body and stabilize your mood.

A cup of spinach per day can give your body the relaxing, calming effects. Or, you may also add spinach to your omelet, sandwich, salad, or wrap.

10. Brown Rice

Brown rice is comprised of B vitamins, which are very important for maintaining tissues, cells, and organs. They act as a natural mood stabilizer and also aid in biochemical reactions linked to brain functioning, immunity, healthy red blood cells, and cardiac functioning. When your body gets enough amounts of B vitamins, it is better for you to fight stress and other mood disorders. If you feel moody or irritable in the next time, consume brown rice products to help you feel better.

To sum up, the stress-busting foods are loaded with nutrients that may regulate stress hormones and aid you in having a life free of stress.

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This guest post is by Nga Do, a beauty and health blogger with many years of experience on searching the effective remedies for skin & hair care and health problems.

You’ve read Top 10 Healthy Foods That Fight Stress, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’ve enjoyed this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

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You’re reading How to Use Fear to Destroy Laziness, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’re enjoying this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

It’s the start of the New Year, and we want to reach our full potential. Yet, its so easy to be lazy. We live in an age with the highest amount of distractions – with so many options for entertainment e.g. Seasons of Game of Thrones. We have so much information flowing into our minds on a daily basis through advertising, work, and what we hear through our social circle.

With all that going on, it’s easy to lose touch with what we should be doing with our time. Unless we really know what’s important to us, we can fall into excessive patterns of: watching T.V, surfing the web, socializing to an extreme – all to fill in the hole of emptiness we feel when we don’t keep ourselves distracted.

That feeling of discomfort when you go to bed, that extra sleep in the morning – it’s often all partly related to not doing the things you know you should be doing. Whether that’s: studying that subject you used to be excited about, writing that book, consistently working out, building a business, creating videos, learning from other people, playing your favorite sport, teaching something you’re passionate about, reading books, gaining new experiences, travelling, or else.

Without a strategy on how you’re going to spend your time, you can live many years without reaching your full potential – not doing the things you truly want to do. Unless you bring what you want to the forefront of your mind, and then do those things, you will fail in achieving a consistent baseline of positive emotions. Yet, you might not even realize it until a year or two has passed by.

For many of us, so little time is invested in improving ourselves, expressing ourselves, and creating. Too much time is spent absorbing content, replaying our past, worrying about the future, all while we lament our lifestyles, and take little action to change our realities.

Let’s describe the story of someone called ‘Jimmy’. The way to become the best version of you, is to firstly understand how to be the worst version of yourself.

The Story of ‘Jimmy’

If you looked at his life beginning from the 1st January to the 31st December, you would see little variety in Jimmy’s days. He never travels. Never skips town. He hangs around with the same people, who are also in the same life situation as him. Stuck. Unwilling to push himself out of his comfort zone, he subconsciously reasons that it’s okay since others are the same.

He sleeps and wakes up at different times everyday. The result is a messed up sleeping cycle that acts as the foundation for his life. To add to that, he works in a dead-end job that sucks most of his precious energy.

The cycle repeats itself weekly.

He never reads any books, he simply has no interest in expanding his knowledge or delving into stories. He is completely self-absorbed in the mental masturbation of his mind. He worries, frets and is always pondering. But perhaps he shares a joke or two with one or two friends every now and then.

Yet he rarely pauses to simply breathe.

There’s a lack of inspiration for betterment in his life and the cause of this is deeply rooted in taking life for granted. He fails to see the brilliance and wonder of the world. He never fully seizes the day. His life is marred by the attainment for short term pleasure. He saves very little of his money and instead splurges it on fast food, ice cream, desserts, cigarettes, and alcohol.

He has no long term direction, it’s simply not in his paradigm of thought. He fails to see how his present is influencing his future.

He doesn’t really know what he wants from life.

His past is a daze and he never tries to learn or embody any lessons from his experiences. He spends lavishly on the things that don’t matter, little on the things that do. His home is cluttered, and messy – just like his mind.

He doesn’t exercise, and his body is tight and tense. As a result, all his family, friends, and the world don’t benefit from the extraordinary person he could become. In short, he is selfish and he doesn’t even realize it.

Maybe you partly relate with the story of ‘Jimmy’. I know I do and I only tell this story because we’re often motivated by the extreme bell-end curve of being positive. We rarely think about the ramifications of not living meaningfully. This may be an extreme example, but it’s a useful one.

Fear, just like any emotion, isn’t inherently bad or good. It can be used to our advantage, and by remembering the sentiment behind this story, we can use it to fuel us to lead better lives on the occasions where we’re not being perhaps inspired by love.

Your Challenge

The biggest challenge we face is having the courage to make changes.

Let’s learn we find meaningful, and which days we’ll dedicate to those activities. Let’s develop daily habits that help us feel terrific each day. Let’s experiment with different things we find fascinating.

An inability to identify the unique factors that lead to a meaningful and fulfilling life, is responsible for creating unhappy men and women all around the world. But by having an allegiance to making positive changes and using your time wisely, you will be well on your way to lead a meaningful, fulfilling life – no matter what difficulties life throws at you.

If you’re interested in mastering your habits in the New Year, read my free guide. Here’s what you’ll learn:

• First, You’ll find out how to split up your day into four chunks, so you’ll worry less about external influences.
• Second, You’ll discover how to consistently celebrate your small wins, so that you feel more creative and enthusiastic each day.
• Third, I’ll show you the small productivity hacks that will take your output to the next level.

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 Samy Felice is a writer who is passionate about unique ideas related to living a meaningful life. His Free Guide explores ways people can make success easier.

You’ve read How to Use Fear to Destroy Laziness, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’ve enjoyed this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

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You’re reading How You Can Save Your Own Life Through Therapy, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’re enjoying this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

“All of humanity’s problems stem from man’s inability to sit quietly in a room alone.”

-Blaise Pascal

A Difficult Road, Often Traveled

Feel cut off from your instincts, disconnected from yourself, suffering great pain?
Wish you could have productive conversations with yourself?

SEEK help…see a therapist!

The first time I saw a therapist, I went because I had problems that I just couldn’t solve myself.

I burst into tears in that first session, and that wonderful therapist said, “Lars, that’s a vote for you.”

Going was the easy part.

The harder part? Continuing. But, I persevered because I was at war with myself, and that internal violence was killing me.

The State of the Patient

Patients have one thing in common. They are fragmented.

An effective therapist doesn’t put the patient back together but provides a presence that facilitates the patient putting himself or herself back together. You GO to therapy as human doing, but you experience therapy as human being.

A Unique Conversation

After I described my feelings, that same wonderful therapist also said:
“That sounds like a conversation between you and you.”

Her active presence, our relationship, and our unique work together helped me put myself back together.

The Therapist’s Function? The Role of a Lifetime

A therapist stands in for the strong part of you until you’re ready to reclaim that role or take it for the first time.
If your parents weren’t THERE for you emotionally, you didn’t develop your own self-advocate providing internal kindness and compassion, the nourishing you’d provide to a loved one or a best friend.
Without the right parenting, you will bend over backward NOT to provide compassion to yourself. Even with the best parenting, sometimes a traumatic disrupts your normally internal advocacy.
Your lack of internal security at some point can break you apart if you aren’t THERE for yourself.

Crisis: Danger and Opportunity

The Chinese character for crisis means both “danger” and “opportunity”. In a crisis, when old habits no longer no longer “defend” you (and not in a good way), and you’re at a loss, that crisis provides something remarkable: Opportunity.

The best part of what drove me to therapy, as for most people, was a readiness to grow. My resistance made the entire process more difficult, yet that very resistance provided an opportunity. A good therapeutic relationship exploits that opportunity for your best benefit.

Mediation Like No Other

No mediation is as important as that needed to bridge the gap between different parts of yourself. After all, who’s with you 24 hours a day? Can you afford NOT to have the best relationship possible with YOURSELF?

If the parts of you not only disagree, but, in the process, insult, frustrate, anger, and criticize each other, your inner life is on quick route to train wreck. A therapeutic relationship that works provides a kind of inner mediation that puts you on the road, however long, for a lifetime’s growth and healing.

The Possibility of Peace

Here’s the best part. Learning to trust your therapist brings you “shalom”, the peace of “wholeness”. Why? Because once you trust the person who is simply an emotional surrogate for your healthiest self, you can begin to trust yourself.

That self-trust allows you to be in charge of your own life, but in a new place, a place that the stuck and stultified person you were couldn’t have found without this painful, yet fertile evolution. The therapist is a selectively vocal, yet predominantly silent partner whose support for you seeps into your soul so that support for yourself from yourself becomes more pervasive, more habitual.

Don’t get scared off by the mistaken notion that we all rise or fall separately. Your family may have nothing but contempt for therapists, deeming patients “weak”, but, the healthiest member of a family is often the one who seeks and continues therapy as long as necessary.

Take courage, seek a guide in the rough waters of your fragmented self, and know that, if you can unflinchingly and fully feel the pain and complete recognition of yourself, you will then be able to feel the joy and self-trust that otherwise would be unavailable.

Best of all, you will be able to kill that Buddha at the side of the road, accountable for your own life in the ultimate sense. And, despite the title of this post, with your work with a therapist, YOU will have saved YOUR OWN life.

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Lars Nielsen is a free-lance copywriter whose unique and image-rich selling voice combines the narrative power of his poetry, playwriting, fiction, radio, liturgy, and comedy. Go to http://ift.tt/2aI2xgg and see how storytelling and scenarios can successfully reframe the narrative of your business, speeches, ideas, and your life.

You’ve read How You Can Save Your Own Life Through Therapy, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’ve enjoyed this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

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You’re reading Five Meditation Practices For People Who Don’t Want to Meditate, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’re enjoying this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

If you’ve ever thought that meditation wasn’t for you for whatever reason, you may be surprised to find out that you’ve been practicing it all along. While traditional meditation in a monastery does entail sitting in the lotus position for long periods of time, it’s not the only method. Even monks practice meditation in different ways like when they’re eating or doing medial chores.

The rule of thumb is that you focus on something, breathe with intention and quiet your busy mind. Many of us do this from time to time and tend to label it “zoning out” when in reality, we were in meditation. Your favorite past times are an opportunity for you to meditate and because you’re doing what you like to do, you’re in a good headspace to let your busy mind go.

With so many articles online and health reports telling you the benefits of meditation, you are probably convinced it’s a good practice for you. The mental and physical benefits are many. You want to benefit from the elevated mood boost it can give you, an increase in productivity, get a better sleep and nurture your heart health. The perks of meditation can be yours while doing what you love to do. In keeping your meditation practice simple and personal for you, it will be easier and more identifiable for you.

Here are some practices to try if you don’t want to try if you’re not into the traditional methods.

Drumming

Multiple studies have shown that playing a hand drum, especially in group settings, gives us many of the same benefits as mindfulness meditation.

Drumming increases problem solving ability and empathy. It boosts the immune system and reduces stress. It also helps improve school grades and good behavior in children. In some settings, drumming is used to treat ADHD. Studies suggest that it may work better than Prozac or Ritalin when used for ADHD and depression.

Drumming is itself a meditation technique. The key is to become deeply absorbed in the rhythm and the sensations you feel in your hands and elsewhere. You might find it hard to sit in half-lotus and concentrate during a breathing meditation. Drumming, on the other hand, has a powerful  way of holding your attention so it doesn’t feel like a chore.

Watching a sunset

You’ve probably watched sunsets before, right? Have you ever just melted in awe? You likely had no problem concentrating then. One of the feelings I’ve experienced while watching sunsets and sunrises is love. It seemed to be the magic glue that connected me with the sun. It was like a prolonged hug.

In many ways, meditation mirrors falling in love. You’re paying full attention to each other. It’s hard not to concentrate on your experience with that person. During meditation, you are merging with your chosen object and experiencing that same type of merging. Plus, research shows that awe reduces our inflammatory markers, which are associated with cardiac and autoimmune disorders.

Gazing at a campfire

If you’re in the position to have a fire pit in your yard, do it. If you’re not allowed to dig holes, you can use a feeding trough from a farming supplies store. Or if you live near the outdoors, go camping.

Like sunsets, camp fires have a powerful meditative effect. The wood crackles as the fire roars and consumes the wood. You can feel the heat on your body. All of these aspects hit your senses and has a way of pulling you in. I find fire gazing to have a very purifying effect on my mind.

Gardening

Many people find relaxation while pulling weeds and nurturing their spinach, broccoli, basil and tomatoes in their gardens. If you make the intent to really pay attention to what you’re doing, then gardening becomes a form of meditation.

You can concentrate on the feeling of your knees on the ground, the sensations in your hands and the feeling of your breath. You can also thank every single plant that you work with for providing you with healthy food. Now you’re mixing meditation with gratitude work.

Going for a Walk

If you hang out in a cubicle all day or sit in front of a computer a lot, going out for short a walk can become a meditation. The same goes for jogging, dancing and other forms of exercise.

When walking, pay attention to your breath and the sensations of your body. Be mindful of your feet hitting the ground in a rhythmic pattern.

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Meera Watts is a yoga teacher, entrepreneur and mom. Her writing on yoga and holistic health has appeared in Elephant Journal, Yoganonymous, OMtimes and others. She’s also the founder and owner of Siddhi Yoga International, a yoga teacher training school based in Singapore. Siddhi Yoga runs intensive, residential trainings in India (Rishikesh, Goa and Dharamshala), Indonesia (Bali) and Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur).

You’ve read Five Meditation Practices For People Who Don’t Want to Meditate, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’ve enjoyed this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

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You’re reading Is There A Higher Power That Participates In Our Lives? 27 Physicians Collaborate On A New Book Detailing Unexplained Medical Miracles, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’re enjoying this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

My name is Dr. Scott Kolbaba and I have been a physician in the Chicagoland area for over 35 years. The answer to whether there is a higher power that participates in our lives was not one I learned in medical school. Quite the opposite actually. In medical school we are taught to base our findings on science. X=Y and so forth. However, as humans, our natural instincts are to seek answers to questions about who we are, where we come from, and where are we going. It was possibly those very instincts that made me realize some of my personal experiences as a doctor, as well as those of some of my colleagues, couldn’t be explained by science and fact alone. These experiences were truly divine intervention, the work of something we could only see through the eyes of our faith.

Dr. Kevin Russeau is a chiropractic physician in Wheaton, Illinois. I recall his captivating story like it was yesterday. He was a new practitioner in town and was working to build up his clientele. After receiving an invitation to a meeting of local professionals, he thought for sure this would have the networking potential to launch his practice to the next level. He attended the meeting and was excited about the opportunity to be in a room filled with the local movers and shakers. John Robertson, a crisis intervention specialist, was seated next to him. After the leadership introductions, Dr. Russeau and Mr. Robertson had a polite conversation over lunch. Once lunch was finished, Dr. Russeau excused himself to network with the other guests. It was then that Mr. Robertson invited him to sit for a minute longer to listen to a story he felt he needed to hear. His sincerity and gentle smile is what made Dr. Russeau pause and decide not to refuse. Settling back into his chair he listened intently.

Mr. Robertson told him a story about a young lady who had called into the crisis line. He spoke to the woman who denied she was depressed, but as they spoke, he kept getting the distinct impression she needed to be hospitalized. The feeling grew stronger and stronger until finally he revealed his impressions to her. She had broken down in tears and admitted she was planning to take her own life. Because of the bond that developed during their conversation, she agreed to go to the closest hospital for help. He checked later that same day and found she had been admitted to the community hospital psychiatric unit. After a short stay, she ultimately recovered and was discharged. As Mr. Robertson relayed his story, it was evident he had a passion for his work. He told about acting on feelings and instincts, not facts alone. When he finished, Dr. Russeau looked up and realized people were leaving and the meeting was over. While he enjoyed his conversation, he was disappointed about missing an opportunity to accomplish any networking. He headed back to the office and saw patients the remainder of the day.

At 7:00 PM, he saw his final patient, a laborer who had injured his back on the job. Dr. Russeau sensed there was something unusual in their interactions but completed his intake and started the treatment for his significant back injury. By the time he finished and was ready to leave the office, it was after 8:00 PM. He headed toward the door but suddenly and inexplicably had an urge to call his last patient. He turned around, heading back to his desk and dialed the number. His patient answered and Dr. Russeau told him he felt the need to follow up after his appointment. After an uncomfortable pause, his patient began to open up. He said he had been struggling with depression and was unhappy with his life. Since Dr. Russeau had spent some time earlier in the day with a social worker who specialized in depression, he asked if he could introduce them. His patient agreed. Finding John Robertson’s card on his desk, he called the number expecting to leave a message as it was after hours. He was surprised when Mr. Robertson personally answered saying he been working late as well and was just leaving the office when his phone rang. Dr. Russeau briefed him on his patient, hung up and called his patient back to provide him with John’s contact information. After this, he left the office and went about his evening, satisfied he had done what the little voice in the back of his head was telling him to do.

It was six months later, during a typical office day when Dr. Russeau discovered that same patient in an exam room waiting for him. He walked in with a smile and went to shake his hand but his patient suddenly broke down and cried uncontrollably. Attempting to comfort him, it took some time before he was composed enough to tell him his emotional story. He said that when he had come in to see Dr. Russeau six months before, he was in the depths of a depression and planned to take his own life. He admitted to having everything ready but the call that evening literally stopped him. He spoke to Mr. Robertson who recognized his desperation and was convinced to go to the emergency room for help. He was admitted to the psychiatric center where counseling and medication turned his life around. He said he felt great and thanked Dr. Russeau for saving his life.
Dr. Russeau was overcome by this revelation. What he thought had been an unproductive day six months earlier turned out to be a day he would remember forever. He realized the real purpose of that “networking” meeting was not about networking at all, but about saving a life.

I was so emotionally moved by this and other stories that I felt the urge to start writing them down. Physicians’ Untold Stories was born. It features ordinary doctors in private practice who experienced or witnessed events that could not be explained by anything we learned in medical school. The narrators of these stories are men and women of science. The one thing they all have in common is they are physicians touched by a divine moment so miraculous, they needed to share it with you. I’ve realized there is a higher power that often intervenes, guiding us down the right path if we just listen.

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Scott J. Kolbaba, MD, is a doctor of internal medicine in Wheaton, Illinois. After being awarded a degree in economics from Cornell College and serving with the Marine Corps Reserves, he completed his medical degree at the University of Illinois and graduated with honors. Kolbaba interned with Rush-Presbyterian St. Luke’s Medical Center and completed his residency at the Mayo Clinic. He is a member of the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society. Visit http://ift.tt/2e1l7ma or order his new book at Physicians Untold Stories: Miraculous experiences Doctors are hesitant to share with their patients, or ANYONE on Amazon now.

You’ve read Is There A Higher Power That Participates In Our Lives? 27 Physicians Collaborate On A New Book Detailing Unexplained Medical Miracles, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’ve enjoyed this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

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You’re reading 5 Best Apps for Boosting Your Morning Productivity, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’re enjoying this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

There are a lot of ways people differ from one another, and nowhere is that more apparent than when it comes to their mornings, or their morning routines, to be more specific. If were to take a broad look at it, we could say that there are three different types of people. The first type would be those which get out of bed immediately after the alarm has gone off and start their daily activities. The second type involves those whose biggest ally is the snooze button on their alarm clock. Finally, there is the third type, which does wake up right away, but instead of getting up, they start checking out social media and messages they have received.

In this day and age, it’s safe to say that most people are the third type, which is a shame, because there are so many benefits of getting an early start. We are not just talking about having more time, but also about feeling better mentally and physically. Making that switch is difficult, but thanks to these 5 apps we have rounded up for you, you will be able to do that, as well.

1. Sleep Cycle Alarm Clock

One of the reasons why you feel so beat up and exhausted in the morning, even if you have went to bed on time, is because you woke up during the wrong phase of one of your sleep cycles. You see, if you happen to wake up during one of the lightest phases of you sleep, you will feel recharged and well-rested. Thanks to Sleep Cycle Alarm Clock, you will be able to wake up during the light sleep phase, and go about your day feeling energized. The way it does it is by keeping track of your movement during the night, and activating itself when you enter one of the light phases, which lasts around 30 minutes.

And if you are still finding it hard to wake up, this app also has a snooze option, which will wake you up at the end of your light sleep phase, giving you about 20 extra minutes of sleep.

Download: Android | iOS

2. Body Stretch

We all enjoy a good stretch when we wake up, but rarely do we continue to do stretching exercises when we get up, which is a shame, because it does our bodies the world of good. Stretching improves your flexibility, circulation, helps you relieve pain and tension inside your muscles, especially if your work involves sitting down for long periods of time. However, if you don’t know how to stretch properly, you might end up hurting yourself, which is why we recommend using the Body Stretch and Flexibility app.

The app features over 40 different stretching routines and exercises, which are suitable for all ages, and all genders. All exercises have detailed explanations and a video that goes along with it, showing you how to perform them. Choose between different difficulty levels, create your own routines, and keep track of your results with this app.

Download: Android | iOS

3. Calm

In this day and age, it’s fair to say that we lead very stressful lives, and our morning are no different. Getting up, showering, having a quick breakfast, getting dressed and rushing out the door is what it’s all about, which only makes you even more stressed out. One of the best ways we can fight stress is through meditation. Aside from being able to help you battle stress, meditation also improves your concentration, the quality of your sleep, and your mood for the day.

Calm is a brilliant app which enables you to enjoy all the benefits of its mediation programs, and choose a meditation routine which fits in with your morning schedule. Each program is accompanied by serene sounds from nature and a soothing soundtrack.

Download: Android | iOS

4. Todoist

Getting early, as we’ve already established, is great, but it gets even better when you have a schedule that can make the most out of your time, while at the same time, being able to create a balance between your personal life and your career. With Todoist, you can easily achieve all of that, since it is probably the most complete task manager of them all. It allows you to add and update tasks from your smartphone, tablet, laptop, browser, email, and even while you are offline.

Keep track of important work milestones and deadline, and break up your projects into smaller sub-tasks for improved efficiency, collaborate on projects with your colleagues, assign tasks to other people, and view your progress with graphs. You can also integrate Todoist with other apps, such as Google Drive, IFTTT, Zapier, and many others.

Download: Android | iOS

5. Fabulous Motivate Me!

If you are prone to procrastination, it doesn’t matter how early you get up in the morning, since you won’t be able to make the most of your day, unless you start changing your habits. Now, as you know, building positive and productive habits is much harder than developing bad ones, but with Fabulous-Motivate Me! App, you will be able to do that to, thanks to its analytical approach to fighting procrastination.

It helps you deal with it in four different ways, by boosting your energy levels, improving your sleep, losing weight, and keeping your focus as sharp as ever. Each of these categories can be adjusted to fit your lifestyle. Also, the app allows you to meet and unlock new goals, similar to a video game, which adds another level of motivation.

Download: Android | iOS

Conclusion

With these brilliant and effective apps, you will be able to transform your mornings, as well as yourself. Become a more productive, healthier, and a more satisfied individual. Start doing it today.

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Brenda Savoie is a content marketing magician at Essayontime . A grammar tutor master and desperate dreamer. Writing her first romantic novel. Seeking contentment through mindfulness. Find her on Twitter and Facebook

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You’re reading How Ready Are You To Take On New Challenges Of 2017?, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’re enjoying this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

The as the New Year unfolds, we leave behind the worries and challenges of 2016 but bring the lessons we learned with us.

The year 2017 is another chance for us to create a story in the new chapter of our lives. This is the time to discover new things and explore new possibilities. However, along with new opportunities, 2017 is also a year full of new challenges. So let me ask you, how ready are you to take on the challenges of 2017?

If you not sure yet if are ready for the challenges, here are some simple tips all of us can make use of to prepare ourselves as the New Year starts.

Have Some Time For Self-Reflection

We don’t need to be in hurry all the time. When times get tough, sometimes, we just need to stop and ponder. Set aside time for self-evaluation. This is the time where we ask ourselves several questions with can help us determine your personal mission and our state of mind.

Self-reflection is especially useful when we are at our lowest and darkest time. We have to go to the deeper part of our soul to re-evaluate our goals. What we will discover about ourselves will help us come up with a set of rules and guidelines on how we are going to face the challenges ahead of us.

Be Creative

This year, it is time to think differently. Oftentimes, tough challenges need a non-traditional solution. You just have to summon your creativity and innovativeness.

Let us try to look at adversities at different angles. Maybe it is not as difficult as it may seem. Maybe it’s our approach that makes them difficult. Start from simple things and practice creativity. A simple garage makeover for our new home will help us exercise our creativity. It would be easier for us to think outside the box if we start from our simple daily activities.

It Is Ok To Let Go

There is a time that the best solution to overcome challenges is to let go and adapt. Overcoming challenges does not necessarily mean that we have to push our hardest to take control of the situation, there are times that we just have to go with the flow and let things happen.

When things go out of control and let us allow things to happen naturally, and more likely, things will work out better. Letting go means freeing ourselves from unnecessary sufferings which can bring us to a more peaceful life.

Chase Success But Be Guided By Your Happiness

Success is not as fulfilling as it may be when we are not happy. We’ve seen this in movies, people who gave up everything in life to chase success but in the end, they ended up still unhappy. Success and happiness should be on the same page to find fulfillment in life.

To be happier this 2017, we need to chase success as guided by where we will be happy. We want to achieve our dreams but chasing for our dreams won’t be easy. There will be trials, but what is important is that we chase our dreams because that is where our happiness is. And whenever there is happiness, there lies our success.

Last Words

None of us have an idea what lies ahead as this year starts but it doesn’t matter whether we have different struggles to take. We need to face it whether we like it or not and the outcome really depends on how well we handle the situation.

The tips mentioned above are just a few tips which could help us get a head start but what we can do is not limited. It is still up to us on how we approach every situation. What is important is that we learn from them and we keep our heads up as we face every challenge that comes.

You’ve read How Ready Are You To Take On New Challenges Of 2017?, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’ve enjoyed this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

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You’re reading The Girl with the Red Shoes – How One Fairy Tale Restored My Wild Heart, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’re enjoying this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

“There once was a little orphan girl who made herself lovely red shoes out of scrap cloth, and they mean the world to her.

An old woman adopts the girl into a pristine world of gilded carriages and crisp white stockings where she is made to sit all the time, walk without skipping, and not speak unless spoken to.

Soon enough, her adoptive mother tosses her lovingly crafted shoes are tossed into the fire, causing immense pain that she must hide…”

When I was sixteen years old I had a vivid dream about a child who carried a small wick. It was only through the intensity of her existence that it lit and burned fiercely, setting all things nearby alight.

I carefully painted this dream over many hours; it was an expression of my basic joy, and another step on the path to discover my own wild way.

Through the years such spontaneous moments fight to be born each moment, because incrementally I’ve learned small – but sticky – lessons:

Aged 4: I’m the wrong gender to play with that toy. Aged 11: I wrote an essay from the heart, but it doesn’t fit in with the curriculum. Aged 16: I laughed a bit too loud for group. Aged 23: I gave a solution to a problem that is a bit unorthodox. Aged 26: I reach to touch a loved one at just the wrong time, on the wrong day.

Each lesson throws another scrap of those lovely red shoes onto the fire. The threads turn to ember, there’s famine in my soul, and a hush descends over my wild heart.

“…The hunger in the little girl’s heart causes her to reach instead for shiny red leather shoes, which soon enough attract so much attention and admiration she starts to love them.

Dancing in these beautiful new red shoes for all those who gawk and stare, they start to consume the girl’s every thought, and all her desires – she feels empty without them…”

I look for substitutes to fill the sense of emptiness in my heart – the heroic romantic partner, validation through my career, and travelling the circumference of the world, only to arrive right back face to face with the void.

The real desire is to rediscover my wild nature, and with it a meaningful life.

“…One day the girl with the Red Shoes met a soldier who told her “what beautiful dancing shoes!”, and so she twirled. The more people stared, the more she danced; once her feet started she could not stop!

Soon enough she wanted to dance left, but the shoes would dance her to the right, and then she wanted to dance around, but the shoes would dance her the other way around…”

Without full awareness, I am ducking to avoid my demons.

Failure is no longer accepted as part of the creative curve, but a nasty punishable act that will have – to my mind – devastating and crushing results. And so, I no longer skip joyously, flowing in the rich potentiality of each moment, but dance feverishly in the direction of the hoards; hoping to belong, and to be loved.

“…The girl was scared and wanted to take off the shoes, but they would not budge. And so she danced, she danced over hills, through valleys and gloomy forests, rain or snow, sunrise through sunset and the dancing itself was terrible, and the girl got no rest…”

I’m standing on the precipice of truth and it’s uncomfortable: Life has become a tame thing.

Creativity fades in a quest for perfection, pursuits that waste time are followed, and talents that showed potential are forgotten.

Fairy tales aren’t concerned with my comfort, carefully crafted story arcs, and rounded conclusions. They are designed to find the best entry point into my psyche in order to deliver urgent truths that will set me on a transformative journey.

With compassion, they will not deprive me of my deepest low.

Awareness of this deterioration allows me to understand that intervention is imperative: I must fight on the part of my wildish self. Though it will hurt, it is the most worthy battle I will know.

“…In exhaustion and horror she danced into a forest where the towns’ executioner lived.

He tried to cut off her shoes but they stayed on her feet, so she cried for him to cut off her feet, and so he did. And the shoes, with the girl’s feet, kept dancing and dancing through the briars, over the hills, across the moors and out of sight.”

The story of Girl in the Red Shoes made one terrible mistake: she believed that forces outside herself held the key to her happiness, and so she nearly lost herself. Her story is both short and brutal: she only had one shot and her feet, which are representative of her mobility, and freedom, were lost forever.

And so, I feel gratitude, because I am in a glorious position! Life ever-flows, and provides new waves of opportunity each day that overlap and flow toward me like chapters ready to written anew.

Long past the end of this fairy tale, I have learned that my value is not forged in the flames of collective agreement. Each day I remember to wear my own simple red shoes, and dance to the beat of my own imperfect life, joyous in its own wildish way.

And so I ask you, wild little girl: will you choose to dance, or will you choose your wild freedom?

You’ve read The Girl with the Red Shoes – How One Fairy Tale Restored My Wild Heart, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’ve enjoyed this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

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You’re reading 7 Marketing Tips for Personal Success (even if you’re an introvert!), originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’re enjoying this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

A couple of years ago, I took a position in corporate marketing. At first, I thought I made a mistake accepting—it had a nice salary bump, so I convinced myself that it was good for my career. But the more I pondered upon it, the more it appeared to me that I made a rather hasty decision, and the job was a bad fit for my personality—as an introvert, I don’t exactly have a penchant for being outspoken and bubbly all day long.

However, almost a year into it, I was grateful for the opportunity. More importantly, I trust that what I learned on the job has helped me tremendously in many ways. I was able to “go out of my shell” and become less shy; coworkers who often passed me by as if I was invisible suddenly greeted me by name; my boss was finally able to see “how my contribution to the job aligned with the corporate goals.” I was in a good place, it seemed.

Of course, it all came at a price. It took me a long time to mentally prime myself every morning; I made the washroom my favorite hideout place to seek solitude and peace; it felt wearing to talk to more than a couple of people during the day as I was used to. I was so drenched of mental energy every night, that all I can do after work was to cuddle on the couch with my son’s teddy bear for comfort.

But it seems like wisdom can come from the most unexpected sources (even if it’s painful at first).
What I learned from the world of marketing has been more than just how to become chattier and perhaps more socially adaptable. I learned how to enhance the brand, called “Me.” It’s an incessant exercise in self-feedback and self-improvement. It’s effortful—true—but the advantages are real.

Of course, marketing gurus have been preaching about the benefits of personal branding for a long time. And the ideas and approaches, I have discovered from my time on the job, are no different than in corporate advertising. Similar tricks and tips that can make a company climb up to stardom (backed up by a good product or service, naturally) can bump up our personal and professional stock.

So, what are some of the lessons I learned? Some are perhaps not revolutionary but, nevertheless, will be good reminders for many, I hope.

1. The Human Factor

Probably the easiest way to make others like us and bend to our decisions and opinions is to glorify them a bit and make them feel special in some way. People-reading skills are quite important here since everyone has different soft spots. For one, it may be the way they dress, for others- their cute kids, and for another – their achievements. Whatever the “igniting factor,” you have to try to find it and make a connection. The most effective marketing messages strike a personal note with a group of people. Thus, even the toughest boss can be won over once you appeal to their human side.

2. Make People Laugh

Clever or subtle humour always works in marketing. If done properly, people will remember it and the message that goes with it. Humour is not only the best medicine but also the best ice-breaker. It’s no secret that if a decision-maker or your boss likes your jokes, you can quickly become part of the “in-circle.” Everyone looks favourably on people that make them feel better. Don’t overdo it, though— remember that court jesters were not respected for their brains. The art of telling a smart joke lies in intelligence. Hence, read a lot, keep yourself updated and never miss a chance to accentuate your work-related skills after a good anecdote.

3. Social Chameleon-ism

Social chameleons don’t deserve all the bad publicity and criticism they receive. The term is not equal to a hypocrite. It simply means that, in order to succeed personally and professionally, we need to learn to adapt to other people. We don’t have to change who we are. Rather, just show different parts of our personality depending on the audience, so we can better relate to others.

For instance, you wouldn’t talk to your boss about pets if you know they don’t own one. Exactly as you would never target retired people for the latest iPhone, or advertise retirement homes in Costa Rica to teenagers. “One size fits all” never works well in marketing. Therefore, always know your end goal, your target audience and adjust accordingly.

4. Look the Look

The best marketing messages always have some memorable element—bright colours, something that stands out in the grey mass. We live in a very material world and that’s barely a secret to anyone. Life is busy, people’s attention spans are getting shorter, snap judgements are becoming more prevalent.

If you want to be remembered, make sure you have something to remember you for. Research shows that it takes few seconds for others to form an opinion of us, and it also comes from the way we dress and carry ourselves. It’s worth it to spare few extra minutes in the morning to make yourself look neat and composed. Never underestimate the influence looks can have on a materialistic mind.

5. Details, Details, Details

A small neglected detail or a typo will often ruin the whole effect of a carefully planned marketing endeavour. Details on all levels are very important. For instance, remembering specifics about co-workers and showing genuine interest in them on a personal level can go a long way. Don’t ignore people based on their importance in the corporate hierarchy. Lower-ranking employees give feedback to superiors too, and can influence negatively your reputation. Word-of-mouth is not a minor detail to overlook.

6. Plan in advance, if possible

Always have certain go-to words and phrases to use at work. Never say the first thing that comes to your mind. The more important the impact we want to make is, the greater the need to prepare. Even the best public speakers practice in advance. It will help you appear more confident and in control, and anticipate tough questions. Write your speech (or the main points) beforehand, consider any weak points in your arguments and think of ways to address them if asked. After all, success comes down to how well we can tell our story and sell our brand to the world. And this takes preparation.

7. Honesty and feedback

Criticism is often needed and should be welcomed but some people get offended when you tell them the whole truth straight-up. Be gentle and avoid being brutally honest, unless highly necessary. Remember that there are at least a hundred ways to communicate a message. Chose less hurtful words—for instance, in corporate marketing we will rarely say “we won’t extend our contract because you are a cheap client and we don’t like you,” but rather “we respect your business but we believe that another partner may be able to meet your needs in a more efficient way.” Makes all the difference.
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In the end, I consider that knowing a thing or two about marketing tools (and using them) can advance us plenty in our careers. After all, we live in the heyday of (self) promotion. In fact, as some wise men tell us, today, marketing does rule the world.

What’s more—it all strikes a personal note with many, I believe. Without letting ourselves known to others—as many of us perhaps have grasped already— the chances of being discovered for the great person that we are, are, at best, slim.

It’s like shooting darts in the dark and hoping we will hit the bull’s eye by a stroke of luck. The better strategy, of course, is to be proactive and give our good fortune a hand.
And the best part? It’s really not that effortful as it all sounds, with the right motivation.

Or as Tom Peters tells us: “It’s this simple: You are a brand. You are in charge of your brand. There is no single path to success. And there is no one right way to create the brand called You. Except this: Start today. Or else.”

Evelyn Marinoff is a Canadian, currently living in Dublin, Ireland. She is a blogger, a social introvert, an MBA, a passionate reader and a writer in the making. She spends her free time reading, writing and researching new and intriguing ideas in psychology, leadership, well-being and self-improvement. You can also find her on Twitter at @Evelyn_Marinoff, or read her blog at mind-chatters.com

You’ve read 7 Marketing Tips for Personal Success (even if you’re an introvert!), originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’ve enjoyed this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

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You’re reading Radical Self-Improvement: Stop Trying to Improve Yourself, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’re enjoying this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

“Remember to proceed with self-love and self-acceptance at all times, as this is the only path to real and lasting change” – Don Miguel Ruiz Jr.

I finally realised I’d been going about it all wrong. I’d been trying to improve myself, when I was already enough. All the fulfillment we could ever need is already inside us.

All my life, if I was honest with myself, I felt like a weed. There might’ve been good days, when the weed seemed less weedy, but on a fundamental level I felt flawed. So I put a lot of energy into trying to control and maintain the weed, trimming it here or there, or trying to change the direction of its growth, or even sticking pretty flowers on it to pretend it wasn’t a weed. I never realised that all I had to do was to source it out at the root.

What was the root? Fear. The fear that I was just a weed, and the fear that I was not, for if I was not at least a weed, surely I would not exist at all!?

Meditation was like directing the sunlight of awareness through a magnifying glass. The closer it got to the root, the more apparent the ugliness of this weed became, but then some sort of miracle occurred. As the main body of the weed was uprooted, I realised that I was never the weed at all, but the fertile ground in which it grew.

I was the earth of limitless possibilities, and that meant I was free to grow tulips, daisies, lilies… whatever the hell I wanted! I could have a full garden for the different seasons! It could be wild or it could be nicely kempt, what did it matter!? Sure, each plant would eventually wither and die, but the possibility of growth was always there. There was no point holding on to an individual plant, for they were all in their basic nature ever-changing and impermanent. This also meant that I could happily invite people in to see my garden, and it didn’t matter if they didn’t like what they saw. After all, none of these flowers were really ‘me’ anyway!

I had spent so long focusing on changing the weed, that I had forgotten the sun was always shining.

Right now, I am in the process of uprooting all the rogue weeds, but it’s okay, because none of them are ‘me’ either. The weed of self-doubt, the weed of social anxiety, the weed of anger, none of them. I also know there’s no point in trying to fight them with chemicals or garden scissors, or masking what they are. All I have to do it direct the sunlight through that magnifying glass once they sprout their heads through the soil, and they are gone forever. In other words, feel them fully. Until they sprout, I can’t know they’re there.

Maybe one day I’ll be completely free of weeds. That’s not to say I’ll be immune to them, but at any rate they’re easily dealt with. And what’s the point worrying about them anyway when you’ve got a beautiful, ever-changing garden?

Are you trying to improve yourself? Why? Who is this ‘you’, this ‘self’ you feel isn’t good enough?

Susannah had a remarkable experience five months ago that changed her life. To read more about spiritual awakening go to her recent blog http://ift.tt/2ihOX3g.

You’ve read Radical Self-Improvement: Stop Trying to Improve Yourself, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’ve enjoyed this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

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